‘FLEXIBLE’

Due to the continuing requests for Brain Cancer
associations to Agent Orange and the other two major herbicides of Agent
White and Agent Blue this link is created.

Obviously medical issues to individuals is sacred
information and protected by law. Therefore I cannot be responsible for
letting this information out to the general public.

Many have asked to query others of the type of
Brain Cancers and the locations and other pertinent information such as length
of service in Vietnam, locations, and time frames.

Although it is doubtful that the location would
correlate to anything and is more related to type of exposure, dose rate of
exposures, combinations of toxic chemicals, and predisposition to such toxic
chemical damages.

If those that want to communicate with others on
this brain cancer issue would send me their e-mail and permission to post the
e-mail on this link for communications with others I would be glad to add a list
of e-mails.

My only request is that if a dialog is set up you
copy me on the correspondence so I can glean out the applicable data for all the
guys and their widows. I have had two men go down from brain cancer
serving in 67-68.

Added - Taura at tdk4vets@cwnet.com
indicated she got astrocytoma and glilioblastoma brain cancer approved.
The second VA approval in history of the VA of associating brain cancer to
dioxin or service in Vietnam.

E-Mail List of those that want to communicate
with others:As of
05-30-05

Here
are some of the brain cancer issues I found in my research as it relates to
dioxin and 2,4-D both of which seem to be able to cross the blood barrier and
reside in the
brain and spinal chord. 2,4-D (Agent White) is noted for Central
Nervous System damages. Regardless of what the government and the VA say, this
whole issue is more than just dioxin.

As far as Agent Orange, the government has never studied the impacts of this
herbicide, only 2,4,5-T that is only one part of the AO herbicide. Any
government study that says "Agent Orange Study" is just another government/VA a
lie!

In 1989 a VA report was put out and then "classified" and stamped "NOT FOR
RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC" that stated:

1989 - An unbiased, independent report, underwritten by the government,
identifying and proving unequivocally that multitudes of medical problems, at
least 28 of them directly associated with Agent Orange, none had time limits.

The VA study of Army Chemical Corps workers that served in Vietnam found:

1990 - The VA study of Army Chemical Corps personnel found mental disorders, nervous
system disease; as well as the "excess deaths" from Hodgkin's disease, leukemia,
and "brain cancer." (36)

The authors of this
VA study discussed the fact that earlier research had found associations between
exposures to chemicals and brain cancer.

Now even though this report shows excessive deaths from
brain cancer already; the study did not find out why so many mental
disorders and nervous system diseases. As you probably already know, with
glioblastoma (brain cancer) some of the early signs are nervous system issues
and/or strange mental behavior patterns. So how many of the actual found mental
disorders and nervous system disorders were actually being caused by toxin
induced brain lesions or brain cancers is of course
not defined in the study nor identified.

In addition, there has been no follow up on this to see if the cause was indeed
mortality brain lesions and brain cancers. In
fact, I had to find the results of this study in an actual court case as it is
pretty well kept under the government wraps. As I recall the statistics were at
least 22% of the 800 found were diagnosed and being treated for mental
disorders. I could not find how many of the cohort found had
already died or were dying from brain cancers. I
guess that is secret government taxpayer paid for information.

After the White House quit controlling the EPA in this issue in the 70's and
80's.

The 1994 EPA reassessment of dioxin states:

· The EPA has concluded that dioxin is more dangerous than previously thought,
even at extremely low doses. It accumulates in the body fat and once in the
body, even at very minuscule amounts, interferes with cell
development.

· The "brain may be particularly vulnerable" to
accumulating dioxin into its fat content. Nervous system tissue itself, with
its high lipid content, can also act as a repository for dioxin.

· An EPA dioxin expert has concluded that dioxin even if the dioxin had no part
in creating the medical anomaly it is a "tumor
promoter."

I have asked that anyone deceased please have an autopsy done of the brain and
cancer area for the known toxic chemicals we were exposed, not just
dioxin. Of course done by a pathologist outside of the VA and the government.
Morbid I know but if you are going to fight the corrupt VA/government, you need
to have the data and a corresponding death certificate that points to toxic
chemicals.

Added data:

In
a 1988 study, the National Cancer Institute used proportionate mortality and
case-control methods to identify elevated cancers in 1,495 white males who died
between 1970 and 1979, and who were employed as agricultural extension agents by
the U.S. Department of Agriculture. .....

.....In addition to the excess risks for , excess
risks for Hodgkin's disease, leukemia and multiple myeloma, prostate, brain, and
colon cancer also were found.

Seveso Italy Residents Exposed to Trichlorophenol
Plant Explosion 130. The 1989 ten-year mortality study evaluating the population
exposed to a 1976 explosion of a 2,4,5-trichlorophenol plant near Seveso, Italy
( found elevated brain cancer risks.
In Zone R, an area found to have been significantly contaminated by dioxin,
males had significantly higher rates of
brain cancer (relative risk = 3.60; 95%
C.I. = 1.1 - 12.3).

Increases of brain cancer
were associated with duration of employment as an extension agent, although this
trend was small and failed to reach statistical significance.

Let me pass on something that the Government/VA
in my research never takes into consideration, as you can well imagine.

First, the Congressional Mandate only requires a
significant increase; not some forty year study that must show a linear dose
response and then some finding of p= 0.05. P= 0.05 is the world standard
for proving there is no doubt. Finding a p=value of 0.05 is impossible given the
conditions in Vietnam and the many other toxic chemicals involved and the many
forms of exposures and different dose rates the Veteran may have received.
The government/VA is treating this proof like they have a warehouse of veterans
all waiting to be tested to the death and these veterans are exactly alike in
human biology and gene pools. Of course this is not a laboratory setting
and this is a nothing but a government/VA charade.

Second, if anything is found in any cohort group
that the government/VA has studied or even the agriculture workers then one must
conclude the Vietnam Veteran would show a higher associations. The
rational? The study cohorts the government/VA selected were controlled by
MOS. These were not the men that displaced from toxic camps and then spent
time in the field in a toxic environment. Upon completion of the
displacement they again returned to the toxic camp where the water was still
contaminated, showers were used with toxic water, and any hot food was cooked
with toxic water.

Third, one must consider the TCDD in the military
formula was much higher than the commercial equivalent and some are now saying
that even 2,4-D contained dioxins. In addition, the application rate for
Vietnam was just outrageous. The commercial application rate was 1 to 4
pounds per three acres while our rate was 13.8 pounds of 2,4,5-T and 12 pounds
of 2,4-D. This higher strength and application rate more than likely would
also be for the other two major herbicides of AW and AB. The bottom line
if anything is found in the commercial world at some significant or increased
risk of incidence then the increased linear dose rate and formula would play a
part in more damages done to the Vietnam Veteran. The government/VA cannot
rely on this lack of a linear dose rate to boo hoo a 50% or larger increase
found and then not consider the linear effects of application.
Science does not work that way except at the Government/VA illogical rational.

However, you must realize the government/VA has
over 500,000 claims on the books right now. If they can delay or stall a
minimum of $10,000 dollars from each claim, basically robbing the Veteran or his
family, you are talking five billion dollars. Now how many claims
are off the books because the Veteran and/or his widow went away, tired of
fighting the corruption, who knows. I would suggest that even this number
is in the billions of dollars of justified and justifiable claims.

I have guys coming to our reunions that still did
not know even diabetes was compensated. So how many widows due to
lack of an outreach program still do not know their husband or father died from
being mortally wounded by our own government?

Now that my book is going to the printers my
focus is going to be on congressman and senators who turn a blind eye and deaf
ear to this government/VA corruption.

In fact, I have posed the question to many
already as to who runs the country, the VA or the congress; or is this a
convenience factor. The VA is an administrative agency only and is not
supposed to set policy. Yet, time and time again they do exactly that and ignore
the mandates by congress. Of course this also a ruse by congress because
they never follow up and ask the hard questions.

I guess the point is when you ask your senator
for help or your congressman and you get back, "we are checking into the status
of your claim." You need to tell them they need to do just a tad bit more
than checking status. Hell you can do that.

How about addressing the corruption issues,
paying cash bonuses for quick denials, the seemingly intentional poor
performance in claims and the length of time it takes to get a claim that is
automatically associated processed. Corruption and lack of integrity in
the studies need to be addressed. Demand they do their job!

As one Ranch Hand scientists stated: this
is more than just a VA issue this is a National Security issue. Men will
not volunteer or stay in once they learn just how they will be treated.
Then he cited the way the government has treated toxic chemical veterans and
Gulf War veterans.

It is time we made that happen. Veterans
and their families are reluctant to do so but they must get over this reluctance
and force a showdown with not only the government but also the general public.

Example: One of my close associates is a
decorated special forces veteran. His grandson called the other night
about joining up. He told him not only no, but hell no he was not to join
the military.

Veterans made and keep this nation what it is, not
politicians!

Hope this helps some at least knowing you are on the right track.

Best that way to all.

General Response Letter to the group:

Subject: Brain Cancer
related to service in Vietnam from exposures to toxic chemicals Agents Orange,
Blue, and White or the combination of what the “multiple exposures” may have
caused.

Hi all,

There are many issues in dealing with the less than truthful VA
for compensations.

Number one is - they are an operating front for White House
yearly mandated budgets, does not matter republican or democrat. The CFR is
written so they can deny just about anything they choose to, no matter what the
evidence; scientific, mathematical, or just plan logic and reasoning.

Including the government has put in two more gauntlets that no
other segment of our society must face, as part of this government mandated
budget control. The BVA and the so-called US Court of Veterans Appeals, which
is a joke. Out of over 14,000 claims, only 13 have been approved in this
“so-called court.”

Number two - no two areas are the same in rating and allowing
service connected status and to what level of disability is caused.

This is no different than applying for social security
disability; except you must establish an in-service connection. Whereas the
social security disability does not care what caused it; only that the
disability approaches 100%. Including that social security does not have a CFR
written by the social security and approved by congress that it can deny
anything it wants.

The VA has that CFR and will tell you up front that the 100 other
studies you cited that show a connection mean nothing to them. Even if you had
500 studies, it means nothing. If the study cited meets all the requirement of
the 38 CFR the VA will simply say that they give more weight to the statement
(yea verily I command from on high by the Secretary of the VA, based on nothing
but I have the White House power that this is "not associated") that is the end
of it. You loose for the next 10 years of stalling until you reach the level in
the process where you can have a real attorney to represent you and your family.

Your congressman and senators will check on the status of your
claim and that is about all, regardless of the evidence you present. They will
not challenge the VA on anything. Kind of, a scratch my back thing.

Even when I point out that, our own government studies found
something associated with a linear dose response to dioxin and that the study
cites this medical issue as a “highlight of the study” it still is denied by the
VA by using the CFR. Even if they found a correlation to the number of days of
exposures, it means nothing to the VA, your congressman, and your senators.
They just do not care!

This what is called a Veterans Benefit for serving in the
Military of the United States you get government corruption as a benefit and a
reward for honorable and valorous service on the battlefield.

For instance: The statements you brought up:

The Department of Veterans Affairs fulfills
the government's obligation to help those who leave the military injured or
ill. In service to their country, military members give up the right to decline
dangerous assignments. Their occupations lack conventional workers compensation
coverage.

The big gotcha
in that statement is “leave the military injured or ill.”
They use this all the time. Even though we are talking about long-term chronic
damages and never mind the fact that from 1967 to 1989 the entire US government
was denying any and all toxic chemical damages. Therefore, like in my case I
came home and was diagnosed, tested, and retested and then retested again and no
one ever mentioned toxic chemical damages causing any of this. Because the
government was lying; and my doctors had no clue.

VA disability compensation stems from an
official finding that links an illness or disability with the period of a
veteran's military service, whether war-related or in peacetime. VA usually
does not need to find the exact cause of the illness. The dollar amount of
compensation is determined by regulations that give a rating for each illness or
injury on a scale of 0 to 100 based on the severity of the medical problem. The
philosophy of the compensation program is that these ratings are intended to
reflect a loss of earnings capacity.

The big gotcha
in that statement is: …official finding that links an illness or disability with
the period of a veteran's military service.

They determine
what is official not the rest of the 500 studies. The government has corrupted
studies going back to 1984 when the first Ranch Hand study was released. Yet,
when you compare the scientist draft of medical findings; the two are not even
the same.

In my review of
the transcripts of the scientific meetings I even found the scientists laughing
at the fact the Air Force was going to change the report anyway, so why review
it.

The other big
gotcha is: VA usually does not need to find the
exact cause of the illness.

Another joke and misstates of the real facts. The CFR requires a p-value of
0.05 in any association. This is the world scientific standard for proving
there is no doubt of the cause or an “association.”

Yet, congress
passed the Congressional Mandate called the Dioxin Act in 1984 that says
veterans in this unknown toxic chemical issue shall get the benefit of the
doubt. In fact, it should have said toxic chemicals (plural). I can assure you
this is biggest lie ever put out by the congress regarding veterans. As
referenced a p-value of 0.05 is hardly what I would call a benefit of the doubt
considering again that for over 23 years the government denied everything.

Now with all that said you
do not stop trying
that is exactly what they want you to do. They want you to either go away from
lack of energy, disgust, despair. To them it is much cheaper to bury the
veteran than support him from government mistakes that were made.

You do not stop trying and get on record that you are applying
for brain cancer associated with toxic chemicals used in Vietnam not just Agent
Orange. Which is ironic because the VA and our government says Agent Orange and
they have never looked at Agent Orange only dioxin; only one part of the
chemical formula.

Trust me, this is not the government you thought it was.

Every study has been
interfered with and corrupted from the CDC studies, Ranch Hand studies, and the
VA studies them selves. Check out HR 101-672 by our own congress in 1990.

…the House Government
Operations Committee approved a report "The Agent Orange Cover-up: A case of
flawed science and political manipulation", HR-101-672, that stated that:

"The White House compromised
the independence of the CDC [Centers for Disease Control] and undermined the
[Agent Orange] study [of Vietnam Veterans] by controlling crucial decisions and
guiding the course of research at the same time it had secretly taken a legal
position to resist demands to compensate victims of Agent Orange exposure and
industrial accidents."

On page 27, of this Congressional report (101-672), we see that "top
administration officials such as Attorney General Edwin Meese and White House
Chief of Staff James Baker had ultimate decision making authority for approving
and eventually canceling the [Agent Orange] exposure study.” (1)

How do we beat this
government? The only way I know to beat them is at the voting booth regardless
if they are democrat or republican.

Far as I am concern if you
are in - you are out in 2006 and 2008. Political ideology no longer matters
with a government as corrupt as this one has been the last 50 years in Veterans
issues.

Veterans and their families
can make a tidy some of about 130 million votes and state-by-state we need to
get these so-called honorable congressional members out of office. Query the
opponent, see where he stands on these veteran issues, and get him or her in
office if appropriate.

I can count five so far that
are in congress that have tried to get something done. Equally split, with one
Independent.

Far as I am concerned the
rest are bums and should be voted out and tell them why.

Sorry so blunt but you need
to know what you are facing at the VA and even our own collaborative government
that has covered up many many things, including brain cancers.